Automatic sprinkler.



No. 693,924. Patented Feb. 25 I902.

W. H. STRATTDN.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

(Application filed .nn. 8. 1897.

(No Model.)

THE uonmsyzrcns 00.. moi'u-Llmn. wnsumorcn u c UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM H. STRATTON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,924, dated February 25, 1902.

Application filed January 8, 1897. Serial No. 618,441. (No model.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. STRAT'TON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Hartford, in the county of Hartford and State of Oonnecticu t, have invented certain new and usefullmprovements in Automatic Sprinklers, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact descri ption,wherebyan y one skilled in the art can make and use the same. I

The object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler of the general class used on lines of water-piping in a building as a means of providing for the wide dispersion of water in case of fire in the building which shall be simple in construction and usable under all conditions of atmosphere within the building without becoming inoperative. Devices of this class are largely used in factories, machine shops, mills, dye-houses, chemical-works, and the like places, Where they are subject to the corrosive action of various acid and alkaline fumes. These devices as a class embody a movable valve held in place by a strut or brace, these valve-holding parts being united to a fixed part of the structure by a fusible seal, which melts at a comparatively low temperatnre.

A further object of my invention is to provide a sprinkler of this class with a stopple which is opened or unsealed under a predetermined degree of heat without the stopple,

but which does not involve the use of any rigid struts or braces or like valve-holding parts.

Referring to the drawings, Figure l is a view in side elevation of my improved sprinkler. Fig. 2 is a View in vertical central section through the sprinkler-body. Fig. 3 is a plan view of the sprinkler-body with the distributer cut away. Fig. is a plan view of the sprinkler-body with the cap removed. Fig. 5 is a view in vertical central section of the sprinkler-body with the stopple removed.

In the accompanying drawings the letter (t denotes the sprinkler-body, which is made, preferably, of metal cast to shape, with a threaded stem 1) as a means for securing the device in a pipe or like source of water-supply.

The fluid-way 0 through the body of the sprinkler is preferably clear and unobstructed throughouta space equal to the diameter of the fluid-way, the stopple d being located in the mouth of the fluid-way and effectually closing it. In the mouth of the fluid-way a countersunk recessf forms a socket,in which is located a spring g on a shoulder formed at the bottom of the recess. This spring g forms an elasticcushion, and it is held between the bottom of the recess and a washer h, the spring being of a length sufficient to cause it to thrust upward toward the under side of this washer with a degree of force sufficient to hold the spherical stopple din place with a yielding pressure, and the washer prevents the spring from being thrown out when the stopple is broken.

An annular cap 7} fits upon the upper surface of the body a of the sprinkler and is preferably secured thereto by means of screws is, passing through holes in the cap into threaded sockets in the sprinkler-body. .The cap 1' has a central upward projection i,which is dome-shaped and open at the center, this opening being of a diameter preferably equal to or slightly greater than the diameter of the fluid-Way c. The edge of the opening through this dome on the cap 11 forms a seat for the stopple d, which is inserted in place from the lower side. The capt' forms a part of or supports the arms Z of the distributer, which terminates in the central metal plate m, located in the path of an out-flowing stream of fluid, so as to break it up into a multitude of smaller streams and spray. This distributer is of ordinary construction.

The stopple d is made of glass or like frangible material and of any shape desired, although a spherical or pear-shaped outline is preferred. It is hollow, so as to contain a bursting charge of a substance which expands forcibly on being subjected to an increase of temperature. Mercury is preferred, although other materials or substances may be used singly or in combination as the bursting charge. The walls of the stopple are of a thickness to support the pressure of the wa ter, by which it is mainly held in place, and yet sufficiently thin to be broken into minute fragments by the-expansion of the contained charge caused by an increase in the surround ing temperature.

All of the exposed parts of this sprinkler are preferably covered with a thin coating of vitreous material or enamel, which protects such parts from the injurious action of all acids, fumes, or deleterious gases which may be found in some places or factories where people are employed.

The operation of the device is as follows: The sprinkler being secured in place on a pipe with the stopple d in place, thrust upward to a degree by the outward pressure of the spring g, on the upper coil of which it has a yielding seat, the water presses outward against the stopple and holds it firmly to its seat. As soon as there is a dangerous increase in the surrounding temperature, as by a fire, the stopple d breaks into minute fragments, and these are thrown outward by the flow of the water. Nothing remains to obstruct this outward flow; but a clear fluidway is left.

My improved sprinkler differs from most of those of the prior art in having no intermediate brace, strut, or lever interposed between the stopple and a rigid part of the sprinkler, nor has it any fusible seal on the melting of which will depend the movement of a valve. The stopple being of vitreous or like material is not subject to corrosion. It cannot become fast to its seat, so as to be rendered inoperative by lapse of time, nor is there any chance for the contained bursting charge to change in character owing to the action of the atmosphere or any surrounding fluid, as it is wholly contained and tightly sealed within the body of the stopple.

In my application pending concurrently with this, of Serial No. 621,953, filed February4,l897,on which issued Patent No. 654,188, dated July 24:, 1900, certain features of my improved device shown herein are also described and broad claims to such features therein made. Reference should be had to such claims, not herein found because fully presented in said other case,

I claim as my invention- 1. In combination in a sprinkler, a sprinkler-body having a fluid-way therethroiigh, a cap secured to the body part and having an opening registering with the fluid-way in the valve-body, a chamber within the cap and between it and the valve-body, a spiral spring located within the chamber, and a frangible stopple seated on said spring and resting against the edge of the opening in the cap.

2. In combination in a sprinkler, a sprinkler-body having a fluid-way therethrough, a cap secured to the body part, a distributor supported in line with the fluid-way and beyond the outlet, a chamber within the cap, a spring located within said chamber, a frangible stopple seated on said spring and closing the opening through the cap, and means for breaking said stopple.

3. In combination in a sprinkler, a sprinkler-body having a fluid-way therethrough, a cap secured to the body part and having an opening registering with the opening in the body part, a chamber within the cap, a spiral spring located within the chamber, a frangible stopple seated on said spring and closing the opening through the cap, and a bursting charge sealed within the stopple and expansive under an extreme increase in temperature without and about the stopple.

4. In combination in a sprinkler a sprinkler-body having a fluid-way therethrough, a cap secured to the body part, a washer secured between said cap and the body part of the sprinkler, integral arms projecting from the face of the cap, a coiled spring located underneath the washer that limits its outward movement, and a frangible stopple seated on said spring and resting against the edge of the opening in the cap, all substantially as described.

WILLIAM H. STRATTON.

\Vitnesses:

CHAS. L. BURDETT, ARTHUR B. JENKINS, 

